I learned about the sheer importance of disc brakes yesterday while I was out at
Hartshorne yesterday. We were ankle-deep in mud, and my bike looked like it had
been shat on by a very enthusiastically vindictive cow. Gears weren't shifting
right (chain stretching, I think), either, but I believe that's also compounded
by mud in the teeth.
Then I'd roll into a spare pile of leaves, which would then add themselves to
the muck on my wheel and further clog up the works...loads of fun. Pretty much
whatever I rolled over got caught up in my V-brakes, and whatever I paid for my
nice light bike was pretty much rendered a waste by the extra ten pounds of mud
and gunk I had to pick out of it by the end of the ride. Phooey.
By the by: the full-suspension vs. hardtail debate? Go FS. At least when you get
stuff gummed into your v-brakes you can bunny-hop it out of your bike when you
hit a straightaway, with minimal effort.
Gah!

Cheers--
Yi Shun